Furniture



Nov. 1, 1960 A. M. BANK ETAL FURNITURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 3, 1954 w k y m M m p a W W m 7 4 1w p W H 3 W We I W 0 y I l B W W a w m I I0 w v H M WW WHY M V I NOV. 1, 1960 M BANK ETAL 2,958,370

FURNITURE Filed Nov. 3, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States PatentO FURNITURE Albert M. Bank, Jersey City, and Alex J. Katz, West Orange, N.J.; Sylvia Bank, administratrix of said Albert M. Bank, deceased, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla.

Filed Nov. 3, 1954, Ser. No. 466,510

'3 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) This invention relates to furniture. It is particularly directed to a chair or sofa and provided with a foot rest which may be adjusted for sitting or reclining.

An object of this invention is to provide a highly improved article of furniture of the character described comprising a seat and a back rest fixed relative to each other and swingable together on a frame, from sitting position to rearwardly tilted reclining position, and a foot rest attached to the frame and seat by a lazy tong construction and controlled by the movement of the seat and back rest for swinging the foot rest from a retracted vertical position extending downwardly from the front end of the seat when the seat and back are in sitting position, to a forwardly and upwardly swung position when the seat and back are in reclining position, whereby to support the legs of the person reclining on the chair or sofa.

A further object of this invention is to provide in an article of furniture of the character described, highly improved means for stabilizing the movement of the lazy tongs and further including improved means to limit movement of the lazy tongs in both retracted and in forwardly extended reclining position.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a highly improved braking or retarding means to prevent free movement of the chair and to aid in retaining the same in any position to which it is adjusted.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a a strong, rugged and dependable article of furniture of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate and yet comfortable, practical and eflicient to a high degree of use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention is more fully described hereinafter, and is particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is an inside cross-sectional, elevational view of a chair or sofa embodying the invention and showing the same in sitting position and illustrating the mechanism for controlling the movements of the foot rest relative to the movement of the seat and back;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the chair or sofa in reclining position;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. I;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates 2,958,370 Patented Nov. 1, 1960 a chair or sofa embodying the invention. The same comprises generally of a fixed frame 11. Said frame 11 may be made of any usual construction and only one side thereof is shown in the drawing, it being understood that opposite sides thereof are of similar construction. Each side of the frame may comprise a bottom bar 12, the front end of which may be supported on a front leg 13. Fixed to the front end of the bottom bar 12 is a vertical portion 14 and fixed to the rear end of said bottom bar is a rear portion 15 to which is fixed a rear leg 13a. Said front and rear portions 14 and 15 are connected by a top horizontal bar 16. Attached to the upper ends of front and rear portions 14 and 11, is an arm rest 17.

The two side frames may be inter-connected by any suitable horizontal transverse frame portions not shown. The mechanism on one side only for controlling the movements of the said seat back rest and foot rest will be described, it being understood that the mechanism on opposite sides are similar and symmetrically disposed. Fixed to the inside of each upper bar 16 is a metal strap 18 which may be attached to said bar by screws or bolts 19 and 20. The ends of the bar 18 may be offset as at 19a and 20a so that the main portion of the bar 18 is somewhat spaced from bar 16.

Pivoted to an intermediate portion of bar 18 as by rivet 23 is a lever 24 having an inwardly offset leg 25 at its lower end, from which extends downwardly, a foot 26. Fixed to the upper end of lever 24 as by rivets 27 is an angle iron 28 comprising a vertical wall or flange 29 from which extends inwardly a horizontal wall or flange 30. Fixed to the horizontal flanges 30 at opposite sides of the chair or sofa, is a seat frame 31. Mounted on said frame 31 is a usual seat 32 of any suitable construction such as an upholstered seat. Fixed to the rear end of the seat frame 31 is a back frame 33 to the front of which is mounted a back rest 34 of any suitable construction such as an upholstered back. Also attached to the front end of bar 16 forwardly of member 24 is a plate 40 to which may be attached a block 41 by screws or in any other suitable manner (not shown). Plate 40 may be attached by screws 42 or any other suitable means. Fixed to bar 16 and to the block 41 is a bracket 44. Bracket 44 has a foot 45 attached by screws 46 to the bar 16. Extending from the foot 45 is an offset web 47 from which extends an arm 48 attached by screw 49 to the block 41. Pivoted to arm 48 as at 53 is one end of an arm 54. The arm 54 may be elbow shaped, having at its upper end a portion 55 inclined upwardly and forwardly and its lower end 56 inclined forwardly and downwardly. Pivoted to portion 55 as by pivot pin 60 is one end of link 61, the other end of which is pivoted as at 62 to the foot 26 of member 24. Portion 56 of arm 54 is connected by link 65 to the front end of the seat frame 31. Thus one end of link 65 is pivoted as at 66 to portion 56 above the lower end of the latter, whereas the upper end of said link 65 is pivoted as by pivot pin 68 to a bracket 69 fixed to the front end of the seat frame 3 1.

Pivoted at its upper end, as by pivot pin 70, is the upper end of an arm or lever 71. Pivoted to an intermediate portion of the arm or lever 71 as on pivot pin 72 is a link or lever 73. The lower end of the link or lever 73 is pivoted as at 74- to the lower end of portion 56 of arm 54. The upper end of link or lever 73 is pivoted as at 76 to the upper end of a foot rest bar 77. An intermediate portion of the foot rest bar 77 is connected by link 78 to the lower end of arm or lever 71. Thus, the upper end of link 78 is pivoted to the foot rest bar 77 by pivot pin 30, whereas the lower end of said link is pivoted, as by pivot pin 82, to the lower end of arm or lever 71. Attached to the foot rest bars 77 on both sides of the chair or sofa is an upholstered foot rest 85 of any suitable construction.

It will now be understood that when the seat 32 and back rest 34 are in sitting position, the lazy tongs which comprises the linkages connecting the foot rest bars 77 with the seat and frame, has drawn the foot rest to the retracted position shown in Fig. 1 where it is substantially in vertical position extending down from the front end of the seat. However, when a person sitting in a chair leans back and tilts the seat and back rest rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, rotating the seat and back rest about the pivot pins 23, the lazy tongs will be extended or opened up, causing the foot rest to be swung forwardly and upwardly to the level of the front upper end of the reclined seat. This action is carried out because the link 61 presses arm 54 forwardly to rotate the same in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 1. It will be noted that the link 65 stabilizes the action of the lazy tongs. The operation would be the same even if the link 65 were to be' removed, but its presence assists in a stabilized and smooth operation.

If the link 65 were employed, the link 61 could be eliminated and yet the stated operation would take place, because as the seat is swung to reclining position, the link 65 would pull up on the link 54 to open up the lazy tongs. However, by using both links 65 and 61, a smooth and stabilized operation takes place which prevents rattling of the mechanism.

It will be noted that arm or lever 71 is formed with a notch 90 at the rear side thereof adjacent its upper end. Fixed to arm 48 is a pin 91 adapted to enter the notch and contact an edge of the arm or lever 71 when the chair is in full sitting position. It will also be noted that portion 55 of arm 54 will strike the same pin 91 when the chair is in full reclined position. Thus, there is a limitation on the movement of the seat, back rest and foot rest in both directions.

Means are provided to brake the movement of the parts of the chair so as to hold the chair in substantially any position to which it is moved. To this end, there is fixed to the bar 18 adjacent its forward end, a pin or rivet 100. Pivoted to the rivet 100 is a bar 101 extending upwardly from said pin or rivet. A washer 102 may be interposed between bar 101 and bar 18, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing. The bar 101 has at its upper end a pair of spaced coplanar fingers 104 forming a slot or space 105 therebetween. Slideable on the fingers 104 are a pair of S-shaped friction brackets 106 of spring steel or other suitable material. Each bracket 106 has a U-shaped portion 108 receiving one of the fingers .104 therebetween, and a second U-shaped' portion 109 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. It is to be noted that the U-shaped portions 108' open outwardly whereas the U-shaped portions 109 open inwardly. Pivoted to the vertical wall or flange 29 of the angle bracket 28 as at pivot pin 110 is a brake arm 111. The side edges of arm 111 are received within the U-shaped portions of 109. The U-shaped portions 108 frictionally grip the fingers 104, whereas the U-shaped portions 109 frictionally grip the brake arm 111. Said brake arm 111 may have near its lower end, an inwardly bulged portion 115 to increase the frictional pressure when said bulged portion passes through the U-shaped portions 109, As the seat and back rest move from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, brake arm 111 will be pulled upwardly causing movement of said brake arm relative to the S-shaped brackets 106, to cause a frictional retardation of the movement tending to hold the seat and back rest in. any position to which it is moved. The bulged portion causes the greatest friction to occur at the middle of the'movement of the seat, and permitting less friction at the beginning and end of movements away from sitting or reclining position.

It is to be understood that the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing and described in detail above is merely illustrative of one of the many forms which the invention may take in practice without departing from the scope thereof as delineated in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a frame, a seat pivoted to the frame, a back rest fixed to the seat, a first member pivoted at one end to the frame, a second member pivoted to the seat and to an intermediate portion of first membet, a foot rest, a third member pivoted to the foot rest and to the other end of the first member, a fourth member pivoted to the seat and to the first member between the other end of the latter and the point of pivotal connection of the second member thereto, a fifth member pivoted at one end to the frame and mediately the ends thereof to' an intermediate portion of the third member, a sixth member pivoted at one end to the foot rest and at its other end to the other endof the fifth member.

2'. In an article of furniture, a supportingframe, a seat, a back rest fixed to said seat, a lever fixed at its upper end to the seat and extending downwardly from the frame, means to pivot an intermediate portion of the lever to the frame, an arm pivoted at one end to the frame, a link connecting the lower end of the lever with an intermediate portion of said arm, a second link pivoted at its upper end to the seat, forwardly of the lever, means to pivot the lower end of the second link to said arm and between the point of connection of the first link and said arm, and the lower end of said arm, a second arm pivoted at one end to said frame, a third link pivoted at one end to the lower end of the first arm and crossing the second arm and interpivoted therewith, a foot rest, means topivotally connect the other end of the third link tothe foot rest, and a fourth link interconnecting the free end of the second arm with the foot rest at a point spaced from the connection of third link to the foot rest.

3. The combination of claim 2, in combination with a brake member pivoted to the frame, a second brake member pivoted to the seat and friction means on the first brake member frictionally engaging the second brake member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,789,090 Wawrunek Jan. 13, 1931 1,815,617 Fox July 21, 1931 2,575,881 Lorenz NOV. 20, 1951 2,672,919 Luckhardt Mar. 23, 1954 2,693,845 Hoffman a, Nov. 9 1 954 

